Written Answers Wednesday 28 April 2010

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 11 January 2010, Invest in an apprentice, what the timescale is of each modern apprenticeship framework under which the 4,000 modern apprenticeships fall.

Keith Brown: The time taken to complete a modern apprenticeship framework varies depending upon a range of factors including which sector the framework is designed for, the level of qualification being worked towards, and the pace at which the apprentice undertakes it. This is the case with all modern apprenticeships, including those which attracted the £1,000 Apprenticeship Grant through Invest in an Apprentice.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 11 January 2010, Invest in an apprentice , how many of the 4,000 modern apprenticeship places were awarded to (a) existing employees and (b) individuals not in education, employment or training involving the creation of a new position.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Business Rates

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much is projected to be collected from business rates in 2010-11.

John Swinney: The amount of non-domestic rates currently estimated to be collected in 2010-11 is £2.1 billion. A final amount will not be known until some time after the end of 2010-11, and will take account of what has actually been collected, as well as business rate reliefs and the results of any appeals.

Cancer

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what medical guidance is in place regarding the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are a number of documents that support the diagnosis of prostate cancer. A Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme pack, which was originally published by the Department of Health in England, was issued to general practitioners (GPs) across NHS Scotland, urologists and histopathologists working in Scottish hospitals and also those working in Scottish PSA testing laboratories. This has subsequently been tailored to suit a Scottish audience and is available on the Scottish Government Better Cancer Care website, available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/cancer/publications.

  To support GPs to refer patients with suspected cancer, the Scottish Executive Health Department Letter (HDL) (2007) 9 Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer was published, which includes referral guidance for patients with suspected prostate cancer. This can be accessed at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2007_09.pdf.

  In 2009, the HDL was summarised into a quick reference guide and this has been circulated to all GPs across Scotland. This document is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/264972/0079346.pdf.

  In addition, the National Cancer Quality Steering Group is currently overseeing the development of nationally agreed cancer quality performance indicators (QPIs) which will underpin continuous quality improvement of services and patient outcomes. Prostate cancer will be one of the first tumour groups to undergo this process.

Cancer

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is being given to NHS boards regarding the provision of support services for patients undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is being given to NHS boards regarding the provision of support services for patients experiencing the side effects of treatment for prostate cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The most appropriate treatment for an individual is determined following a multi-disciplinary team meeting. Following this it is the responsibility of the clinician caring for individuals to provide the relevant information about treatment options, side effects and support services according to identified needs.

  The Scottish Government’s Living with Cancer group (a subgroup of the Scottish Cancer Taskforce) is currently working with clinicians, patients and representatives from the voluntary sector to identify the best way to support patients, and their families as they deal with a cancer diagnosis, undergo treatment, and subsequently deal with any side effects they may encounter. Further information regarding the work that is undertaken by the Living with Cancer group can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/cancer/ScottishCancerTaskForce/livingwithcancer.

  In addition, NHS inform is a new national service which will co-ordinate a range of partners, including health boards, in the delivery of quality assured, accessible information on both generic health issues and also specific conditions such as prostate cancer. The service will be delivered through three main channels: online, telephone and direct access and will include information on health conditions, treatment and self management, service availability and health improvement. health board’s involvement in the delivery of NHS inform will both develop and enhance the support services they provide to patients.

Cancer

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards regarding the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test

Nicola Sturgeon: Guidance in the form of a Prostate Cancer Risk Management Pack which supports the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme was issued to NHS boards (urologists, histopathologists, PSA testing laboratories) and all general practitioners in Scotland. The programme provides guidance to medical practitioners on the situations in which it is suitable to offer PSA testing, the information and guidance that should be provided to patients before PSA testing is undertaken, and the support that may be required by men as they deal with the consequences of the PSA test and any resulting diagnosis.

  Details of the programme and copies of the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Pack can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/health/health/cancer/publications.

Cancer

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards regarding digital rectal examinations.

Nicola Sturgeon: No guidance has been issued to NHS boards regarding digital rectal examinations. Examinations are undertaken following consultation with an individual. The most appropriate examination will be based on the individuals presenting symptoms and clinical expertise to interpret these.

Central Heating

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32147 by Alex Neil on 16 March 2010, what the precise figures are for the terms (a) a few, (b) some not interested, (c) some not eligible and (d) the remainder as referred to in paragraph two of the response, broken down by local authority, as originally requested.

Alex Neil: It is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown under the terms listed because this information was not recorded in every case.

Central Heating

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31666 by Jim Mather on 9 March 2010, on what date it will announce the (a) launch date, (b) delivery mechanism and (c) level of incentive of its central heating boiler scrappage scheme.

Jim Mather: The details of the Energy Saving Scotland Boiler Scrappage Scheme were announced by the Minister for Housing and Communities on 20 April 2010.

  The scheme will launch on 24 May and be delivered through the Energy Saving Scotland advice network, which the Scottish Government funds to provide householders with a "one-stop-shop" on energy efficiency, renewables and sustainable transport advice.

  The £2 million scheme will support up to 5,000 homeowners with a £400 grant towards the replacement of a working G-rated boiler (for those over 60, the boiler does not need to be in working order) with an energy efficient model that is certified under the Energy Saving Recommended scheme.

Central Heating

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31666 by Jim Mather on 9 March 2010, how many households its boiler scrappage scheme will support, broken down by local authority area.

Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland Boiler Scrappage Scheme, which will launch on 24 May 2010, will support up to 5,000 homeowners with a £400 grant towards the replacement of a working G-rated boiler with an Energy Saving Recommended model. The scheme will be demand-led rather than area-based.

  However, the scheme will be delivered through the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Network, which comprises of five locally managed advice centres covering all of Scotland. The network will advise customers on the scheme and continue to offer wider energy efficiency advice to all Scottish consumers.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32124 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 March 2010, whether it will provide the same information also broken down by hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The numbers of emergency and elective hospital admissions due to assault by a sharp object, broken down by gender and location of treatment, discharged during financial years ending 31 March 2000 to 2009 for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50759).

  It should be noted that due to small numbers and the risk of disclosure, data has not been shown for all boards according to disclosure control procedures. All health board totals are available in the answer to S3W-32124. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Additional data and commentary on assault by a sharp object is published as part of ISD’s Unintentional Injuries publication http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5327.html.

Drink-Driving

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to UK ministers regarding the possible reduction in the alcohol limit for drink-driving offences.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government strongly believes that a reduction in the drink drive limit from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save lives and prevent many serious injuries on our roads.

  The government announced its full support for a reduction in the drink driving limit on 12 March 2008 and wrote then to the Department for Transport, calling upon to UK Government to prioritise a reduction in the limit.

  The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change and I have written on a number of subsequent occasions, requesting that the UK Government make progress on a reduction in the limit.

  Subsequent to the Scottish Parliament debate on 19 December 2008, which called on the UK Government to reduce the limit to 50mg per 100ml of blood, I wrote again asking that priority be given to a reduction in the limit across the UK and, failing that, that the powers to set the limit be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

  In June 2009, the Calman Commission recommended that the powers to set the limit be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Both the First Minister and I made representations to the UK Government pressing for this to be undertaken as soon as possible.

  Most recently, in February 2010, the Scottish Government submitted a response to the North Review on Drink and Drug Driving, which was commissioned by the Department for Transport.

Economy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs in Scotland were saved by the banking bailout.

John Swinney: The international financial crisis acted as the catalyst for the sharpest drop in output in developed economies in over half a century and the first drop in world output since the Second World War. In response, governments across the globe undertook a series of co-ordinated policy measures including, where necessary, support for financial institutions alongside a range of fiscal and monetary policies. The aggregate effects of all these responses, including action taken by the Scottish Government through the Economic Recovery Plan, has been to help support jobs across the international, UK and Scottish economies.

Economy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30161 by John Swinney on 21 January 2010, how many of these jobs were (a) accounted by the accelerated capital programme and (b) new jobs.

John Swinney: It is estimated that elements of the Economic Recovery Plan are supporting around 15,000 jobs in the Scottish economy. This includes the capital acceleration programme, which is estimated to have supported over 5,000 jobs in the Scottish economy.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide further details about the new national qualifications.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop an action plan specific to the development and implementation of the new national qualifications.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is leading the development of the new qualifications, which are fully integrated into the overall Curriculum for Excellence Programme Plan. A schedule of all key milestones within the plan, including those related to qualifications, has been communicated to schools and colleges. The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to keep schools and colleges informed.

  SQA is working directly with the education community and delivery partners such as Learning and Teaching Scotland to make sure that the new qualifications take forward the aims of Curriculum for Excellence and meet the needs of schools, colleges and learners. The design principles for National 4 and National 5 have already been agreed. Information is on SQA’s website at www.sqa.org.uk, which will carry progress reports on qualifications within the different curriculum areas from May.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide further details of the proposal for literacy and numeracy units to be built into English and maths qualifications.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) are currently scoping the proposed approach of building literacy and numeracy into English and Mathematics courses at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5, which was announced on 30 March. The Curriculum for Excellence Management Board will provide advice on formally recognising achievement in literacy and numeracy following its meeting in June.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an expectation on all primary schools to teach modern languages, with lessons being introduced no later than primary six and, if so, for how long this expectation has been in place.

Michael Russell: There is an expectation on all primary schools to teach modern languages, with lessons being introduced no later than primary six. This expectation has been in place since the Scottish Executive responded to the recommendations of the Citizens of a Multilingual World report in September 2001.

  Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes guidance for teachers, published on 2 April 2009, reinforces the expectation that schools will offer a modern language beginning no later than primary 6, and that modern language learning and teaching will be exciting, engaging and relevant, developing cultural awareness as well as communicative competence.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Initial Teacher Education programmes for primary teachers have been accredited and approved since the new Guidelines for Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education and Standard for Initial Teacher Education came into force in December 2006.

Michael Russell: The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is the professional body for the teaching profession and as such has responsibility for accrediting courses of Initial Teacher Education that are either new or that have had any changes made to them. The Scottish ministers subsequently approve these courses.

  The current versions of the Guidelines and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education dated December 2006, but were officially launched in September 2007 and have had effect since academic year 2007-08.

  Since January 2007, the GTCS has accredited:

  Aberdeen’s BEd and PGDE Primary programme (February 2007)

  Stirling’s Primary programme (May 2008)

  Glasgow’s BEd, MA Primary (Crichton Campus) and PGDE Primary programmes (August 2008)

  Strathclyde’s BEd programme (April 2009)

  Edinburgh’s BEd and PGDE Primary programmes (August 2009).

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role its officials, nominated by ministers to sit on the council of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, have in terms of accrediting Initial Teacher Education programmes.

Michael Russell: Scottish Government officials do not sit on the council but are appointed as assessors. They are entitled to attend and speak but have no voting rights. Assessors have no role in accrediting Initial Teacher Education programmes. Accreditation is solely a matter for the GTCS.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role its officials, nominated by ministers to sit on the council of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, have in terms of advising ministers whether to formally approve Initial Teacher Education programmes.

Michael Russell: The GTCS runs a rigorous accreditation process for ITE courses. icurrent practice is for officials to approve, on behalf of ministers, all ITE courses that have been considered and recommended for approval by the GTCS.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education put an onus on its officials on the council of the General Teaching Council for Scotland to support only the accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programmes that prepare all new teachers with the competencies to deliver the full primary curriculum.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education put an onus on its officials on the council of the General Teaching Council for Scotland to support only the accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programmes that prepare all new teachers with the competencies to teach modern languages in the primary school, given the position of modern languages in the primary curriculum.

Michael Russell: Officials do not sit on the council but are appointed as assessors who are entitled to attend and speak but have no voting rights. Assessors have no role in accrediting Initial Teacher Education programmes. Accreditation is solely a matter for the GTCS.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education put an onus on ministers to approve only Initial Teacher Education programmes that prepare all new teachers with the competencies to deliver the full primary curriculum.

Michael Russell: The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which is currently being established as the independent, profession-led regulatory body for the teaching profession in Scotland, conducts a thorough process of accreditation of all programmes of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Officials, on behalf of the Scottish ministers, approve programmes only on the basis of the council’s recommendations.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education put an onus on ministers to approve only the accreditation of Initial Teacher Education programmes that prepare all new teachers with the competencies to teach modern languages in the primary school, given the position of modern languages in the primary curriculum.

Michael Russell: The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which is currently being established as the independent, profession-led regulatory body for the teaching profession in Scotland, conducts a thorough process of accreditation of all programmes of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Officials on behalf of the Scottish ministers approve programmes only on the basis of the council’s recommendations.

  The Donaldson Review of teacher education will consider the concerns that have been raised relating to the teaching of modern foreign languages in primary schools.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any Initial Teacher Education programmes for primary teachers offering no core modern languages in the primary teacher training course and, if so, how long it has been aware.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Initial Teacher Education programmes for primary teachers offering no core modern languages in the primary teacher training course adequately prepare new teachers to deliver the full primary curriculum.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Initial Teacher Education programmes for primary teachers offering no core modern languages in the primary teacher training course adequately prepare new teachers to teach modern languages in the primary school.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and the Standard for Initial Teacher Education have been appropriately adhered to in the accreditation and approval of Initial Teacher Education programmes since December 2006, with particular emphasis on preparing new teachers with the competencies to deliver modern languages in the primary school cross-referenced against section 3.2 of the Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education and sections 1.1.1, 1.1.3, and 2.1.1 of the Standard for Initial Teacher Education.

Michael Russell: The Guidelines for Initial Teacher Education courses in Scotland are not prescriptive about the balance of course content. Accordingly, courses will include varying proportions of subject content.

  The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which is currently being established as the independent, profession-led regulatory body for the teaching profession in Scotland, conducts a thorough process of accreditation of all programmes of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Officials on behalf of the Scottish ministers approve programmes only on the basis of the council’s recommendations.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is held on the time spent teaching history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2 and in comparison with the teaching of other subjects.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is held on the breadth of the history curriculum in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2, including the coverage of Scottish, British, European and world history, and the balance between those topics.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) ) ((Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time is spent teaching history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time is spent teaching Scottish history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time is spent teaching British history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time is spent teaching European history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much time is spent teaching world history in (a) primary schools, (b) S1 and (c) S2.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many schools history is taught as a separate subject in (a) S1 and (b) S2 and how this compares with (i) two, (ii) four and (iii) eight years ago.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many schools history is taught as part of a wider group of subjects, for example integrated in social studies, in (a) S1 and (b) S2 and how this compares with (i) two, (ii) four and (iii) eight years ago.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many schools history is taught by someone without a history qualification in (a) S1 and (b) S2 and how this compares with (i) two, (ii) four and (iii) eight years ago.

Michael Russell: Information is not held centrally on the time spent teaching history in schools or on how schools teach history, including whether history is taught by someone without a history qualification. Curriculum for Excellence provides flexibility on time and content to teach history in the context of the experiences and outcomes and other curriculum guidance.

  Developing knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it is among the learner entitlements in Curriculum for Excellence and the Social Studies principles and practice guidance makes clear that children and young people’s experiences will be broadened using Scottish, British, European and wider contexts for learning, while maintaining a focus on the historical, social, geographic, economic and political changes that have shaped Scotland.

Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to promote energy from waste by means of the integration of waste management with combined heat and power or district heating systems.

Jim Mather: Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan is currently being finalised and will be published this summer. Implementing zero waste policies will encourage better resource utilisation through promotion of waste prevention; minimisation; re-use and recycling, and recovery where waste prevention, re-use or recycling is not feasible.

  Consequently, waste recovery, including making use of thermal energy from waste processes, forms part of an integrated Zero Waste Strategy. Where energy from waste is used, it is important that it is used efficiently and to do so will invariably involve use of both heat and power generated from the plant.

  SEPA has produced environmental permitting guidance to be considered by applicants who propose energy-from-waste plants. This makes it clear that new thermal treatment facilities should not impede recycling or waste prevention opportunities, and that they maximise the recovery of energy.

  The practical implications of the guidance are that plants should only treat residual waste after all reasonable efforts have been made to extract recyclable materials, and that they should recover and use the energy derived from waste efficiently, including utilising heat in industrial applications and/or district heating systems.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its best estimate is of the long-term job creation potential associated with the budget consequentials expenditure allocated on 14 April 2010.

John Swinney: The £76 million allocation of budget consequentials announced on 14 April 2010 will support:

  £31 million for affordable housing developments

  £17 million capital investment in Dundee and Forth Valley colleges

  £10 million for sustainable transport initiatives

  £6.2 million for the upgrade of the A77 Park End to Bennane

  £5.1 million for the upgrade of the A9 at Crubenmore

  £3.8 million to accelerate work on the Dundee waterfront

  £3 million towards renewable energy infrastructure at Arnish in the Western Isles.

  This expenditure will support a range of economic and social outcomes for communities, and households across Scotland. It is estimated that in the short-term the £76 million of expenditure will support over 1,000 jobs in the Scottish economy. In addition, this expenditure can provide long-term benefits to job creation and the wider economy. In particular, by supporting certain sectors whilst demand conditions remain fragile, the expenditure can help retain key skills, such as in construction, and create a legacy of capital assets, such as public infrastructure, which can have long-lasting economic, social and environmental benefits.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what future annual funding profile is associated with each new capital project that received support from the budget consequentials on 14 April 2010.

John Swinney: The £76 million of consequentials is available only in 2010-11 and not in future years. Therefore the Scottish Government has allocated these resources to help accelerate shovel-ready capital projects, in order to make the maximum positive contribution to Scotland’s economic recovery and to jobs, particularly in the construction industry.

  We are committed to delivering a tightly managed and sustainable capital programme over the medium-term and the key judgement in assessing the implementation of that programme will be the capital budgets that are available to us in future years.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the official engagements of the First Minister for April 2010.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government proactively releases ministerial engagements on a monthly basis six months in arrears and the information you requested will be published shortly and can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/MinisterialEngagements .

Football

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26317 by Shona Robison on 31 August 2009, what funding it provided to the Scottish Football Association from 1999 to 2006.

Shona Robison: The information requested is already in the public domain and can be found at:

  http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Resources/TopicNavigation/Collections/Annual+Reports.htm.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what average annual number of trees have been planted since 2007-08.

Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32759 on 23 April which gave the areas of woodland created annually since 2007-08. Using a broad average stocking density of 2,000 trees per hectare, the number of trees planted annually since 2007-08 is therefore estimated at an average of 6.7 million.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Forestry

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of trees have been (a) planted and (b) cleared in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission conservancy area.

Roseanna Cunningham: The first two tables show the areas of planting, and the areas approved for felling, in private woodlands in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) Conservancy regions.

  The third and fourth tables show the areas of planting and felling carried out by FCS on the national forest estate in each of the last five years. A breakdown by conservancy is not available as national forest estate statistics are not held in that format.

  Information is not collected on the number of trees planted or felled each year, but an average of 2,000 trees per hectare can be used to estimate numbers of trees planted from total area planted. The number of trees felled depends upon a wide range of factors, including felled area, thinned area, stocking density and management objectives.

  Private Woodland Planting Areas (Hectares)

  

Conservancy
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10*


NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS


Central Scotland
363
137
774
130
1,069
616
86
103
204
582


Grampian
357
444
981
625
328
877
164
483
165
548


Highland and Islands
2,092
511
1,500
678
1,502
877
736
730
925
1,080


Perth and Argyll
649
688
1,341
1,241
618
1,336
721
1,230
306
1,307


South Scotland
400
2,057
1,975
3,320
624
2,963
839
1,865
372
2,403


Total
3,861
3,837
6,571
5,994
4,141
6,669
2,546
4,411
1,972
5,920



  Notes:

  NP = New Planting RS = Restocking.

  *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

  Private Woodland Areas Approved for Felling (Hectares)

  

Conservancy
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Central Scotland
195
179
609
256
520


Grampian
434
315
1,049
606
942


Highland and Islands
543
1,121
1,324
2,173
1,343


Perth and Argyll
806
1,377
1,457
1,228
1,818


South Scotland
2,404
4,355
4,844
4,672
3,728


Total
4,382
7,347
9,283
8,935
8,351



  Note: (The felled areas above are estimates derived from approved felling licences and felled areas within approved forest plans).

  National Forest Estate Planting Areas (Hectares)

  

2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10*


NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS


134
4,382
0
5,397
26
4,991
760
4,407
633
2,973



  Note: *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

  National Forest Estate Felling Areas (Hectares)

  

2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


6,900
6,400
6,500
5,400
6,300

Forestry

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many trees have been (a) planted and (b) felled in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission conservancy area.

Roseanna Cunningham: The first two tables show the areas of planting, and the areas approved for felling, in private woodlands in each of the last five years, broken down by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) Conservancy regions.

  The third and fourth tables show the areas of planting and felling carried out by FCS on the national forest estate in each of the last five years. A breakdown by Conservancy is not available as national forest estate statistics are not held in that format.

  Information is not collected on the number of trees planted or felled each year, but an average of 2,000 trees per hectare can be used to estimate numbers of trees planted from total area planted. The number of trees felled depends upon a wide range of factors, including felled area, thinned area, stocking density and management objectives.

  Private Woodland Planting Areas (Hectares)

  

Conservancy
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10*


NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS


Central Scotland
363
137
774
130
1,069
616
86
103
204
582


Grampian
357
444
981
625
328
877
164
483
165
548


Highland and Islands
2,092
511
1,500
678
1,502
877
736
730
925
1,080


Perth and Argyll
649
688
1,341
1,241
618
1,336
721
1,230
306
1,307


South Scotland
400
2,057
1,975
3,320
624
2,963
839
1,865
372
2,403


Total
3,861
3,837
6,571
5,994
4,141
6,669
2,546
4,411
1,972
5,920



  Notes:

  NP = New Planting RS = Restocking.

  *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

  Private Woodland Areas Approved for Felling (Hectares)

  

Conservancy
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


Central Scotland
195
179
609
256
520


Grampian
434
315
1,049
606
942


Highland and Islands
543
1,121
1,324
2,173
1,343


Perth and Argyll
806
1,377
1,457
1,228
1,818


South Scotland
2,404
4,355
4,844
4,672
3,728


Total
4,382
7,347
9,283
8,935
8,351



  Note: The felled areas above are estimates derived from approved felling licences and felled areas within approved forest plans.

  National Forest Estate Planting Areas (Hectares)

  

2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10*


NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS
NP
RS


134
4,382
0
5,397
26
4,991
760
4,407
633
2,973



  Note: *2009-10 figures are currently provisional.

  National Forest Estate Felling Areas (Hectares)

  

2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


6,900
6,400
6,500
5,400
6,300

Forestry

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of trees it expects will be (a) planted and (b) cleared in each of the next five years, broken down by Forestry Commission conservancy area.

Roseanna Cunningham: We published our Rationale for Woodland Expansion  early in 2009. It reaffirmed the Scottish Forestry Strategy’s vision for a 650,000 hectares increase in Scotland’s woodland area by the second half of the century. Our Climate Change Delivery Plan  has subsequently recommended planting 10,000 hectares per year (to contribute to a 34% reduction in green-house gas emissions) or 15,000 hectares per year (for a 42% reduction). As regards tree numbers for planting, I indicated in the answers to questions S3W-32887 and S3W-32888 on 28 April 2009, that an average of 2,000 trees per hectare is a reasonable estimate. The geographic distribution of the new woodland will depend on ensuring that the right trees are planted in the right places; this is guided by consultation procedures and indicative forestry strategies (which in future are likely to be informed by the Land Use Strategy).

  Forecasts of felling are generally presented in terms of volume (cubic metres) rather than in terms of area or number of trees. However, based on these forecast volumes, we estimate that the felled area could rise to about 20,000 hectares per annum during the course of the next five years. Nearly all these areas will be restocked in accordance with approved forest management plans. The number of trees felled will depend upon the average tree size, which is itself dependent on a wide range of factors.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Forestry

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many trees it expects will be (a) planted and (b) felled in each of the next five years, broken down by Forestry Commission conservancy area.

Roseanna Cunningham: We published our Rationale for Woodland Expansion  early in 2009. It reaffirmed the Scottish Forestry Strategy’s vision for a 650,000 hectares increase in Scotland’s woodland area by the second half of the century. Our Climate Change Delivery Plan  has subsequently recommended planting 10,000 hectares per year (to contribute to a 34% reduction in green-house gas emissions) or 15,000 hectares per year (for a 42% reduction). As regards tree numbers for planting, I indicated in the answer to questions S3W-32887 and S3W-32888 on 28 April 2010, that an average of 2,000 trees per hectare is a reasonable estimate. The geographic distribution of the new woodland will depend on ensuring that the right trees are planted in the right places; this is guided by consultation procedures and indicative forestry strategies (which in future are likely to be informed by the Land Use Strategy).

  Forecasts of felling are generally presented in terms of volume (cubic metres) rather than in terms of area or number of trees. However, based on these forecast volumes, we estimate that the felled area could rise to about 20,000 hectares per annum during the course of the next five years. Nearly all these areas will be restocked in accordance with approved forest management plans. The number of trees felled will depend upon the average tree size, which is itself dependent on a wide range of factors.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) adults and (b) children were receiving home dialysis in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The figures in the following table show the numbers of adults and children receiving home dialysis in each NHS board at the end of December from 2005 to 2009.*

  

NHS Board**
2005
2006
2007


Over 16years
Under 16years
Over 16years
Under 16years
Over 16years
Under 16years


Ayrshire and Arran
3
0
3
0
2
0


Borders
0
0
0
0
1
0


Dumfries and Galloway
1
0
0
0
0
0


Fife 
0
0
0
0
0
0


Forth Valley
5
0
5
0
7
0


Grampian
6
0
5
0
6
0


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
10
0
9
0
10
0


Highland 
2
0
2
0
5
0


Lanarkshire
6
0
6
0
4
0


Lothian
6
0
5
0
4
0


Orkney
3
0
0
0
0
0


Shetland
0
0
0
0
1
0


Tayside
1
0
1
0
0
0


Western Isles
0
0
0
0
0
0



  

NHS Board**
2008
2009


Over 16years
Under 16years
Over 16years
Under 16years


Ayrshire and Arran
1
0
7
0


Borders
3
0
3
0


Dumfries and Galloway
0
0
0
0


Fife 
0
0
0
0


Forth Valley
9
0
8
0


Grampian
5
0
6
0


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
14
0
16
0


Highland 
7
0
4
0


Lanarkshire
3
0
2
0


Lothian
5
0
6
0


Orkney
0
0
0
0


Shetland
1
0
1
0


Tayside
0
0
0
0


Western Isles
0
0
0
0



  Notes:

  *Figures do not include individuals treated with peritoneal dialysis nor those with kidney transplants.

  **The figures provided are by patients’ NHS board area of residence. Dialysis treatment may be provided in a different NHS board area.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many renal dialysis satellite units there are in each NHS board.

Shona Robison: There are now 10 adult and one paediatric renal units in Scotland, complemented by 22 satellite dialysis units. The renal units and associated satellite units are listed in the following table by NHS board area:

  

NHS Board
Renal Unit


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Crosshouse Hospital
Kilmarnock
Main Unit


NHS Borders
Borders General Hospital
Melrose
Satellite


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
Dumfries
Main Unit


Galloway Community Hospital
Stranraer
Satellite


NHS Fife
Queen Margaret’s Hospital
Dunfermline
Main Unit


Victoria Hospital 
Kirkcaldy
Satellite


St Andrews Community Hospital
St. Andrews
Satellite


NHS Forth Valley 
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary
Falkirk
Satellite


NHS Grampian
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen
Main Unit


Campbell Hospital
Portsoy
Satellite


Dr Gray’s Hospital
Elgin
Satellite


Inverurie Hospital
Inverurie
Satellite


Peterhead Community Hospital
Peterhead
Satellite


NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Glasgow
Main Unit


Inverclyde Royal Hospital
Greenock
Satellite


Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Glasgow
Main Unit


Stobhill Hospital
Glasgow
Satellite


Vale of Leven District General Hospital
Alexandria
Satellite


Victoria Infirmary
Glasgow
Satellite


Western Infirmary Glasgow
Glasgow
Main Unit


NHS Highland
Belford Hospital
Fort William
Satellite


Caithness General Hospital
Wick
Satellite


Raigmore Hospital
Inverness
Main Unit


NHS Lothian
Royal Infirmary Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Main Unit


St John’s Hospital
Livingston
Satellite


Western General Hospital
Edinburgh
Satellite


NHS Orkney
Balfour Hospital
Orkney
Satellite


NHS Shetland
Gilbert Bain Hospital
Lerwick
Satellite


NHS Tayside
Arbroath Infirmary
Arbroath
Satellite


Ninewells Hospital 
Dundee
Main Unit


Perth Royal Infirmary
Perth
Satellite


NHS Western Isles
Western Isles Hospital
Stornoway
Satellite



  Source: Scottish Renal Registry April 2010.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients who receive renal replacement therapy have access to a dialysis unit within 30 minutes of their home, considered as desirable by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published Clinical Standards for Adult Renal Services in February 2002. Standard 13 deals with transportation for haemodialysis, and contains a desirable, as opposed to an essential, criterion that within the constraints of population density and geography, that a renal unit is available within half an hour’s travelling time for patients. The criterion was included to ensure renal units were considering the possibility of satellite units where appropriate, to minimise travelling times for patients.

  Since the publication of the NHS QIS report, NHS boards have indeed been increasing the number of satellite dialysis units, so that as many people as possible get this form of renal replacement therapy nearer to their home or place of work. As indicated in the answer to S3W-32978 on 28 April 2010, the main renal units in Scotland are now complemented by 22 satellite dialysis units.

  NHS QIS’ National Overview of Adult Renal Services published in March 2003 highlighted issues for those living in remote and rural areas who face very long and difficult journeys to renal units, and strongly urged NHS boards to develop innovative solutions to these issues.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of norovirus there were in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Grampian, (c) Western Isles, (d) Orkney and (e) Shetland in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The numbers of laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus infection in NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles are presented in the following table.

  These data are based on voluntary reporting by clinical laboratories in Scotland to HPS on a weekly basis.

  Laboratory confirmed cases do not include those infected with norovirus who did not seek medical attention and have a stool sample submitted for laboratory testing. Thus, the following figures underestimate the true number of people in the community infected with norovirus.

  Table. Laboratory Confirmed Cases of Norovirus. NHS Grampian, Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles, Calendar Years 2006 to 2009

  

NHS Board1
Calendar Year


2006
2007
2008
2009P


Grampian 
207
261
283
346


Highland 
41
28
49
17


Orkney 
3
0
9
9


Shetland 
0
0
1
0


Western Isles 
0
1
4
0



  Source: Health Protection Scotland.

  PData for 2009 are provisional.

  Note: 1. Geography is based on the NHS board of the reporting laboratory. Figures may not represent the patient’s health board of residence.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many wards were closed as a result of norovirus in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Grampian, (c) Western Isles, (d) Orkney and (e) Shetland in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the total numbers of wards closed to admissions due to norovirus outbreaks is not available centrally.

  Health Protection Scotland monitors and publishes ward closures due to norovirus outbreaks via point prevalence management information. Norovirus point prevalence reporting commenced on 7 January 2008.

  The numbers of wards closed in NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles due to presumed or confirmed Norovirus outbreaks, for each Monday in 2008 and 2009 (Monday Point Prevalence), were published in the answer to question S3W-31956 on 5 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Higher Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will meet the gap in funding for universities due to the real terms reduction that they face in 2010-11.

Michael Russell: There is no gap in funding for universities. Within the 2010-11 Budget, Scottish universities receive a cash increase of just over £42.9 million in resource funding from 2009-10. This represents a 4.3% cash increase and a 2% real terms increase.

Historic Events

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in 2014.

Fiona Hyslop: Scottish ministers have recognised the need for improvements to the facilities at Bannockburn to bring them up to a standard that reflects the historic importance of the site. Historic Scotland is working with the National Trust for Scotland, which owns and manages the site, to re-present the site in time for the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in June 2014.

  Historic Scotland will be arranging a programme of events to mark the anniversary but it is too early to confirm their nature at this stage. Likewise, National Archives of Scotland will mark this important anniversary but it is too early to confirm their commemorative plans.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will lay the order to increase fines for landlords illegally operating houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

Alex Neil: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Commencement No. 8, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2010 was made on 20 April 2010.

  This will bring into effect the HMO provisions within Part 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 on 31 August 2011.

  These provisions will bring in additional enforcement powers for local authorities. They will increase the maximum fine for a landlord found guilty of operating an unlicensed HMO from £5,000 to £20,000 and allow local authorities to use rent penalty notices to prevent unlicensed HMO landlords from collecting rent from their tenants.

Justice

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all advice that it has received from the Lord Advocate that has been put in the public domain.

Elish Angiolini: By long standing convention, advice from the Lord Advocate is not placed in the public domain and the Scottish Government does not reveal the sources or content of the legal advice which it obtains.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-10000 by Kenny MacAskill on 25 March 2010, what proposals it is working on to further enhance the rights of victims.

Kenny MacAskill: The current review of the Scottish Strategy for Victims of Crime is looking at a range of proposals for securing better outcomes for victims. The Scottish Government will be discussing those proposals with stakeholders before they are finalised.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-10000 by Kenny MacAskill on 25 March 2010, when its comprehensive review of support for witnesses will (a) begin and (b) conclude; what its scope is, and who will undertake it.

Kenny MacAskill: The review will begin later this month. The aim will be to complete a first phase of the review by delivering a report proposing priorities and recommendations at the end of 2010. An implementation phase will then follow, initially to March 2012 but potentially providing a platform for work beyond then. The scope and methodology for the review will be considered at a meeting of the multi-agency Witnesses Issues Group on 29 April 2010. The Scottish Government’s aim will be to engage a wide range of interests during the review through the Witnesses Issues Group and other working groups.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27310 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 September 2009, whether it will provide the information sought between 1993 and 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: This information was provided to Bill Aitken MSP in a letter dated 6 October 2009. A copy of the reply was placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49431).

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27310 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 September 2009, how many prisoners released from custody on compassionate grounds under section 3 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 and on licence before their death had their licence revoked and for what reasons, since the coming into force of the act.

Kenny MacAskill: None of the prisoners granted early release on compassionate grounds since 1993 have had their licence revoked.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28352 by Fergus Ewing on 12 November 2009, what consideration it has given to the collection of information on the test purchasing of knives as it does in relation to alcohol and whether a decision to do so has been made.

Fergus Ewing: Discussions are still on-going between the Scottish Government and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards on how best to make information collected locally available at national level.

Maternity Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS maternity units do not provide epidurals to assist with childbirth.

Shona Robison: NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Shetland and NHS Orkney do not provide an epidural service, although arrangements can be made for intrapartum care at another health board. All other NHS boards do provide a 24 hour epidural service at their principal hospital as this clinical intervention can only be carried out by an anaesthetist.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage it has reached in its consideration of the draft report of the working group on applied psychologists and psychology in the NHS and what plans it has to take forward the recommendations.

Shona Robison: The draft report was previously circulated to NHS chief executives for their comments and discussed with NHS chief executives on 21 April 2010. The working group will now reconvene to produce a final version of the report.

Ministerial Correspondence

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Bruce Crawford: In the fourth quarter October to December 2009, 7,972 letters were received by ministers and 96 % received a reply within our target of 20 working days.

Ministerial Travel

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the First Minister in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Culture and External Affairs in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Parliamentary Business in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Deputy First Minister in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Public Health and Sport in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Housing and Communities in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Children and Early Years in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Community Safety in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on overnight accommodation for the driver(s) of the Minister for Environment in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) elsewhere in 2008-09.

John Swinney: The Government Car Service (Scotland) provides or arranges transport for Scottish ministers, ministers of UK Government Departments when in Scotland, senior officials at the Scottish Government, and visiting dignitaries.

  All ministers and cabinet secretaries share drivers as a pooled resource. Whilst some ministers make greater use of individual drivers than others no drivers are solely utilised by any one minister. This enables the Government Car Service to be delivered in the most efficient and cost effective manner. It would only be possible to allocate overnight costs for each driver to individual ministers and cabinet secretaries at disproportionate cost.

  The costs of overnight accommodation in Glasgow, Edinburgh and elsewhere for all drivers during 2008-09 are contained in the following table.

  Cost of Overnight Accommodation for Drivers for Period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009

  

 
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Elsewhere (within Scotland)


All "Pooled" Drivers
£1,471.58
£3,723.10
£15,974.63

NHS Boards

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an independent check is carried out in respect of the information supplied to Health Facilities Scotland regarding the National Catering and Nutritional Services Specification.

Shona Robison: Health Facilities Scotland intends to carry out verification checks of the data supplied on a regular basis. Furthermore, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) has recently completed its audit processes for assessing NHS Boards against the QIS Clinical Standards for Food, Fluid and Nutritional Care in Hospitals. I understand that the results of this audit will be published shortly.

NHS Boards

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it will supply to NHS boards whose hospitals have not achieved green status in respect of the National Catering and Nutritional Services Specification.

Shona Robison: The NHS Scotland National Catering and Nutritional Services Specification: Half Yearly Compliance Report (July – December 2009) is the first ever publication of data that will drive up standards for the nutritional care of patients. The data gives boards an assessment against which they can measure progress and build on performance.

  The Scottish Government welcomes publication of this data and encourages all NHS boards to strive for green status in hospitals across Scotland. Our investment in the procurement and rollout this year of an innovative nutritional database will assist boards further in making continuous improvement towards optimum compliance.

NHS Boards

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it will take with regard to NHS boards that have not achieved green status in respect of Therapeutic Diet Provision.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government expects NHS boards to achieve green status of at least 90% compliance for each of the food standards by April 2011. NHS boards are now better placed than ever to improve compliance, with, for the first time, data against which to measure progress. Furthermore, the new national nutritional database which has now been procured will revolutionise the provision of hospital food by providing a nutritional analysis of all recipes to ensure that all patients’ special and unique dietary needs are met. This should help to improve compliance with the Therapeutic Diet Provision criterion in particular, under which boards have found some difficulties in providing a choice of options for patients.

NHS Hospitals

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children and (b) adults were receiving hospital dialysis in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The figures in the following table show the numbers of adults and children receiving hospital dialysis in each NHS board at the end of December from 2005 to 2009.*

  

NHSBoard**
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009


Over 16Years
Under 16Years
Over 16Years
Under 16Years
Over 16Years
Under 16Years
Over 16Years
Under 16Years
Over 16Years
Under 16Years


Ayrshire and Arran
116
0
145
0
145
0
146
0
147
0


Borders
29
0
28
0
36
0
42
0
52
0


Dumfries and Galloway
52
0
50
0
49
0
52
0
50
0


Fife 
111
1
113
0
130
0
135
0
140
0


Forth Valley
88
1
89
0
102
0
104
1
99
0


Grampian
169
1
178
1
183
0
191
1
185
0


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
411
0
423
1
427
4
437
3
419
3


Highland 
93
1
95
0
101
0
93
1
99
0


Lanarkshire
162
0
173
0
172
0
180
1
187
0


Lothian
200
1
225
1
232
0
225
0
227
0


Orkney
1
0
5
0
4
0
6
0
7
0


Shetland
2
0
2
0
4
1
3
0
3
0


Tayside
133
0
133
0
158
0
138
0
169
0


Western Isles
2
0
3
0
5
0
7
0
8
0



  Notes:

  *Figures do not include individuals treated with peritoneal dialysis or those with kidney transplants.

  **The figures provided are by patients’ NHS board area of residence. Dialysis treatment may be provided in a different NHS board area.

Prescriptions

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment of the cost savings, the logistics and possible timing for introduction it has made in switching from paper-based to electronic prescriptions.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16220 on 22 September 2008 which explains that paper cannot be eliminated completely from the prescriptions process in Scotland at this stage. While the electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) brings a range of benefits we do not expect, overall, to see a substantial financial saving. ETP began implementation in April 2008 and is now fully in place.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Prescriptions

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the likely reduction in the number of errors resulting from switching from paper-based to electronic prescriptions.

Shona Robison: The electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) process reduces the risk of transcribing errors in community pharmacies and improves patient safety as most of the information from the paper prescription form is automatically pre-populated into the pharmacy IT system by scanning the bar code on the prescription form. No estimate has been made of the likely reduction in the number of payment errors resulting from ETP.

  Practitioner Services Division administers the processing of all prescription forms in Scotland and currently has at least 99.8% accuracy on prescription pricing.

Prescriptions

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are likely to be made redundant in the (a) prescription pricing and (b) NHS fraud division as a result of (i) the ending of prescription charges and (ii) changing to electronic prescriptions.

Shona Robison: National Services Scotland: Practitioner Services Division (PSD) administers the processing of all prescription forms in Scotland. At the abolition of prescription charges, this process will continue. Due to careful forward planning, no redundancies will be made as a result of either the planned abolition of prescription charges or the electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) as affected staff will be redeployed into vacancies elsewhere across the organisation. All changes in work patterns have been fully discussed in partnership with the unions.

  Similarly, any effect on staff numbers at NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services is likely to be minimal due to their involvement in other workstreams.

Prescriptions

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether prescribing by pharmacists in the management of long-term conditions will be electronic only or a mixture of paper-based and electronic prescribing.

Shona Robison: Pharmacists who are prescribers currently use paper prescriptions, as do other non-medical prescribers. It should be noted that paper cannot be eliminated completely from the prescriptions process in Scotland at this stage.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the finding in HM Inspectorate of Prisons: Report on HMP Perth, published in April 2010, that very few young offenders were employed in the workshops, even though staff reported a healthy order book and of recommendation 11.1 that young offenders in Friarton hall should be more gainfully employed and what action it plans to take.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  At the time of inspection Friarton Hall was less than half full with 42 young offenders all of whom were actively engaged in work as follows:

  Outside work placement – 1

  Outside project – 3

  Hall Pass men – 6

  Cooks – 6

  Wood Machine – 11

  Wood Assembly – 10

  Grounds/Car Valet – 5.

  During the day some prisoners may have left their work parties to attend education, visits or PE etc.

  Friarton Hall has now been temporarily taken out of use. A review of its future role is ongoing and issues identified in the report will be addressed dependant on future usage.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of all prisoners tested positive for illegal substances on liberation in 2009, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available statistics are published by Drug Misuse Information Scotland, Information Statistics Division of the Scottish Government. The report for 2009 can be found here:

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/ISDbull.htm.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of all prisoners tested positive for illegal substances on liberation in 2008, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available statistics are published by Drug Misuse Information Scotland, Information Statistics Division of the Scottish Government. The report for 2008 can be found here:

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/ISDbull.htm.

Rape

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the finding that the rape conviction rate has fallen to a 25-year low, with only 3% of cases reported to the police in 2008-09 resulting in a conviction, and what action it plans to take.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3F-2348 on 22 April 2010 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0422-02.htm#Col25618.

Renewable Energy

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much electricity was generated in Scotland from December 2009 to March 2010.

Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally. Annual figures for electricity generation in Scotland are published online at  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business .

Renewable Energy

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the electricity generated in Scotland from December 2009 to March 2010 was generated by wind power.

Jim Mather: The information requested is not held centrally. Annual figures for electricity generation from renewable sources in Scotland are published online at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32772 by Jim Mather on 15 April 2010 and in light of the introduction of the UK Government’s Feed-In Tariff on 1 April 2010, how many of the 750,000 installations projected by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change to be installed across the United Kingdom by 2020 are expected to be installed in Scotland in each of the next three years.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government are keen to see, at the very least, a proportionate take up of the 750,000 installations by 2020 predicted by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change. However, the Feed-In Tariff is a brand new initiative and is demand led. As such, it is too soon for any accurate prediction to be made on how many installations will occur in Scotland in each of the next three years.

Residential Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that older people receiving care in their own homes receive meals of high nutritional value.

Shona Robison: The care needs assessment provided by local authorities should identify the nutritional requirements of those cared for at home. The National Care Standards require care at home providers to develop a personal plan with each person who is using the service which sets out how their care needs will be met. Where the service includes the preparation of food the plan will include details of any special dietary requirements. It is for the Care Commission, as the national regulator, to ensure through its inspections that care at home services are complying with this aspect of the National Care Standards.

Residential Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that older people receiving care in their own homes are assessed for risk of malnutrition.

Shona Robison: Local authorities undertake care needs assessments for older people receiving care in their own homes. A care needs assessment should identify any issues relating to malnutrition. It is likely to involve more than one agency in contributing to a holistic assessment of needs, including specialist input from a GP and/ or Dietician where there are health concerns around malnutrition.

Scottish Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Enterprise’s feasibility study into the use of tax increment financing in Aberdeen will be completed.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whom Scottish Enterprise will consult as part of its feasibility study into tax increment financing in Aberdeen.

Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its chief executive to reply to you.

Scottish Government Funds

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the jobs that it suggests have been supported by the Economic Recovery Plan.

John Swinney: It is estimated that elements of the Economic Recovery Plan are supporting around 15,000 jobs in the Scottish economy. This figure is based on estimates of the impact of some of the actions within the Economic Recovery Plan.

  It is estimated that the accelerated capital spending programme – which involved the acceleration of £293 million capital spending into 2009-10, and £53 million into 2008-09 – has supported over 5,000 jobs in the Scottish economy over the period.

  Support for Homecoming has helped generate additional activity in tourism related sectors such as hotels, catering and retail and is estimated to have supported around 1,000 jobs.

  The acceleration of European Structural Funds is estimated to support approximately 8,000 jobs across all sectors of the economy, through ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) funding for new projects. Other projects, supported by the European Social Fund (ESF), are assisting people back into employment.

  An extra £31 million was allocated to boost affordable housing supply, which is estimated to have supported around 500 jobs.

Scottish Government Funds

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have benefited or will benefit from the accelerated capital programme spend.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24288 on 4 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Smoking

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the effects on the health of children of passive smoking in cars.

Shona Robison: There is an increasing body of evidence emerging regarding the levels of second hand-smoke present in cars and of the health hazard this represents for both adults and children. The smoke-free legislation has increased awareness of the risks associated with exposing children and others to second-hand smoke. We will continue to examine this emerging evidence and we will do what we can to ensure awareness is raised about the dangers of second-hand smoke in cars.

Sport

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers last discussed the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds and what actions were taken.

Shona Robison: The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds was last discussed by Scottish ministers in April 2008 prior to the publication of the latest version of the guide.

Sport

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Ambulance Service last reviewed the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds and what its findings were.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service offered comments in September 2007 during the last review of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds . These were fed into the review process through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Suicide

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths by suicide were associated with the use of charcoal in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009.

Shona Robison: Data indicating death from intentional self harm or events of undetermined intent, associated with the use of charcoal is as follows:

  (a) 2007 – None.

  (b) 2008 – One.

  (c) 2009 – None to date, however final 2009 data is not available until August 2010.

Suicide

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds were included in the allocation to local authorities for Choose Life programmes in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-14128 and S3W-14129 on 23 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Swimming Pools

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to work with local authorities to provide free swimming for people aged 60 and over.

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is carrying out in conjunction with local authorities to provide free swimming for people aged 60 and over.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution swimming can make to the health and wellbeing of the nation. Many local authorities already offer free or discounted access to public swimming pools for targeted groups, despite the current challenging economic climate.

  Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure there is adequate provision to allow their residents to take part in sporting and recreational activities. It is for them to determine the level and range of services offered accordingly to local needs and circumstances. Scottish ministers have no role to play in the local decision making process.

Wildlife Crime

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-9994 by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2010, how much funding has been made available to support innovations in combating wildlife crime.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-9994 by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2010, for how long funding will be made available to support innovations in combating wildlife crime.

Roseanna Cunningham: Up to £220,000 is available for a two-year programme over 2009-10 and 2010-11 to support innovations in tackling wildlife crime. Projects are assessed by PAW Scotland and grant arrangements are managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Other projects which contribute to tackling wildlife crime may also be eligible for grant assistance from SNH.

Wildlife Crime

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-9994 by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2010, who is eligible to apply for the funding to support innovations in combating wildlife crime.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-9994 by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 March 2010, how applications can be made for funding to support innovations in combating wildlife crime.

Roseanna Cunningham: An application form and further details of the scheme are available on the Scottish Natural Heritage website at  www.snh.gov.uk/funding/our-grants/what/wildlife-crime-(paw)/ .